In fact he didn't see him the next day, or the one after that. When he shouted, no one answered his calls and the only activity in the cells was a guard occasionally walking by to make sure Michael was still alive, refusing any attempt at conversation from Michael.

"I can't believe you thought that would work," complained his companion. Not for the first time, mind you.

Michael groaned in response, softly banging his head against the wall where he sat in the corner of the cell. "I had to try something." He kept his voice low, in case they still had someone listening in.

"And that's the best thing you could come up with?" Andrei asked, outraged.

"I don't remember you having a better idea," accused Michael.

Andrei retorted with a passion. "I did! I told you to let me in control and I would get us out!"

"And how would you do that? Attacking the captain? When he is likely as strong as you? What about his men?" Michael rolled his eyes. "Just because we only saw two that looked like they had the same powers doesn't mean the building isn't crawling with them."

"He came alone, he thinks we are not dangerous to him. I would have taken him from the back and we would have walked out of the building with no one wiser," argued Andrei.

Andrei spoke with confidence, but Michael was nowhere near certain. He had witnessed how much a man empowered by these points could take back in Tevatron, all the captain needed to do was call for help. "And if that doesn't work? All you would achieve is to show them that we are dangerous!"

"And how would that be any different from where we are now?" Andrei reminded him. "Stuck rotting in a cell with no release in sight."

"A situation you are quite familiar with." Michael couldn't stop the retort that came out.

Andrei huffed in indignation. "If I have so much experience with it, then why don't you listen to me?"

"You have experience with getting in, not out." This conversation was going nowhere, like it always did with Andrei.

"I, no we, were never held for more than a couple of days." But his prisoner wouldn't stop without getting the last word in.

Michael rolled his eyes once again, releasing a sigh of frustration. "That's because of all your friends cleaning up after you."

"Yeah, that's something called looking out for each other," There was a hint of pride in Andrei's voice. "But I guess that's a hard concept for you to understand, seeing as you just refuse to let me help."

Irritation sprung up within him, and Michael had to bite back a retort. He knew his past was simply trying to get a reaction from him. These arguments were little more than guilt trips intended to get a reaction out of him, to make him act irrationally. It was best to just stay silent.

"Yeah, just shut yourself off from everything like you always do. That's what you do best," Andrei walked off in frustration, shutting the metaphorical door behind himself as he retreated back into their mind. Michael had no idea how he managed to make that kind of impression, but apparently Andrei was becoming familiar with being stuck in his mind prison.

No matter, he needed to focus on what he was going to tell the captain to get out of this mess. He was certain the man would come and question him again, eventually. Michael would need to be careful with any deception, the theatrics he tried pulling before would make the man doubt anything he said.

He wasn't certain whether captain actually spent all his points in Physical categories, for all he knew, the man could have gained a large amount of skill points and invested heavily in Psyche. That would explain how he immediately saw through his previous deceptions. Then again, Michael himself was no extraordinary talker, even with the points he himself invested.

He wished he could invest his points into something else other than Volition, but with Andrei around that was not possible. He had offered to work with him, but trusting his past self was never a good idea. It was better to not dwell on the thought; it only left a bad taste in his mouth.

Returning back to the matter at hand, Michael decided on a strategy he would employ, the only thing remaining was to iron out the inconsistencies.

----------------------------------------

Another day passed, and Michael had spent every moment of it going over his story, eliminating any inconsistencies and refining each piece of information. He had to make sure it was convincing enough to the captain. This time, he needed to be smart and strategic.

As he waited, he mentally rehearsed his story over and over again. He had to make it believable, yet not too outlandish. He had to find the perfect balance between truth and lie.

Finally, the sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor, and Michael stopped his pacing and sat down on the bench he had been using these past few days as a bed. He straightened his shirt and fixed his hair as well as he could, small changes could make a large difference in someone's impression.

Michael looked up as the captain approached his cell, stopping just in front of the bars. The man didn't enter, but instead leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. What changed from last time? Did the man consider him a threat now?

"You've been quiet," the captain stated, eyeing Michael suspiciously.

Michael shrugged, trying his best to appear innocent. "I've had nothing to say."

The captain raised an eyebrow. "Changed your mind about being crazy?"

Michael took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself to launch into his rehearsed story. "Yes, I have."

The captain leaned in closer, his eyes intent on Michael's face. "And what is the truth?"

Michael began with a shaky voice, trying to appear as genuine as possible. "I saw you during the riots back in Austin, the way you threw one of the protestors was... it just wasn't natural."

The captain remained silent, but his eyes narrowed as he listened closely.

"I followed a group of officers who were wearing civilian clothing, out of the city towards what used to be Tevatron. I figured there must have been a reason for the secrecy." Michael waved his hands apologetically. "I just wanted to know what was going on!"

Michael took another deep breath before continuing. "After they entered the compound I decided to wait and see, but no matter how long I waited no one came back outside." He looked at the floor, a faraway look in his eyes. "So I followed them in."

Michael's heart pounded in his chest as he recounted his story to the captain. He knew that any slip-up could mean the end of his chances for escape. He told the man of how he snuck through the forests in the area.

"I saw the black pillar," Michael continued, his voice shaking slightly. "It was covered in flowing, silvery script that I couldn't understand. But I knew it was important."

As Michael continued his story, he watched the captain's reaction closely. The man's tense body language and heavy breathing only confirmed his suspicions. It seemed that they had both touched the same stone, and now the captain realized that Michael might know more than he was letting on, much more.

"You touched it, didn't you?" the captain said, his voice low and dangerous.

Michael swallowed hard, but he didn't back down. He had to keep up the act if he wanted to get out of this cell alive. "Yes," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

The captain took a step back, his eyes scanning Michael up and down. "What did you see when you touched the pillar?" he asked.

Michael hesitated for a moment, debating whether to reveal this part of the truth. He knew that not everyone who touched the pillar saw what he did – the man in white, the guiding light from his dreams - or so he believed. If he was right and the captain saw none of that, he might think Michael crazy, or worse, that he is trying to pull another trick on him. But he also knew that if he was going to gain the captain's trust, he had to be as honest as possible.

"I saw... a man," Michael said slowly, choosing his words carefully. "A man in a white expanse, dressed in white, with predatory eyes." Michael shivered, he remembered the way he froze when those eyes landed on him, the primal fear that coursed through him. "He spoke to me. He told me that... that if I wanted answers to my questions I would need to seek out more pillars."

The captain's expression was unreadable as he listened to Michael's words. "How are you supposed to find them?" he asked.

Michael took a deep breath and continued his story. "There was a light," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "When the Worm swallowed the world and everything descended into darkness, there was a light. It guided me forward until I woke up. Now, it shows up in my dreams, showing me where to find the next pillar."

The captain stared at Michael for a few seconds, his eyes boring into his soul. "And do you believe him? Do you think that this man in white was telling you the truth?"

Michael hesitated, unsure of how to answer. "I... I don't know," he said finally.

The captain's gaze never left Michael's face as he considered his words. Finally, he spoke. "What happened after?"

Michael took a deep breath before continuing his story, recounting the events that followed after he was kicked out of the white space.

"I found myself back at the pillar," he said. "I was disoriented, and afraid. I didn't want to get caught by the officers I followed there." He looked away guiltily. "I retreated back into the forest, but not before I noticed them coming to check up on the pillar." He swallowed hard. "I ran as hard as I could. All I wanted was to get out." He returned his distraught gaze back to captain's face. "I never intended to do something bad, I promise."

The captain remained silent, his expression unreadable. Michael's heart pounded in his chest, unsure of what the man was thinking. Finally, the man spoke.

"Continue," he said, his voice low and steady. "Tell me how you made it back to the city."

Michael took a deep breath before continuing his story, recounting the events that followed after he left the pillar.

"I knew I had to get back to the city," he said. "But I didn't have any supplies, no food, no water, nothing. I was desperate."

Michael paused for a moment, taking a deep breath before continuing. "That's when I came across Warrenville."

The captain's eyes narrowed as he listened, but he remained silent, waiting for Michael to continue.

"There was chaos," Michael said, his voice shaking slightly. "A gang was looting the town, fighting those that tried to stand up for themselves. I tried to stay out of sight at first."

He paused for a moment before continuing. "That's when I saw the neighborhood watch. They were trying to put out fires and protect the people, but they were overwhelmed." Michael shook his head. "I offered to help, and discovered the abilities I have gained from the pillar."

The captain's eyes narrowed further as Michael spoke of his newfound abilities. "And how did you spend your points?" he questioned.

Michael took a deep breath, knowing that this was the most crucial part of his story. "Mostly in Psyche and Intellect," he admitted. "It seemed more useful to rally the people and think up a plan of resistance rather than pure brawn."

The captain remained silent, but Michael knew he took a careful note of his answer. He would consider each word that came out of Michael's mouth more carefully from now on, wary of deception.

Michael hesitated for a moment before continuing. "After everything was over, I spent some time in Warrenville. That is before the vision of the light came to me in the night."

The captain leaned forward, his eyes intense. "And what did the light show you?"

Michael took a deep breath, his mind still reeling from the vivid dream. "It led me east, through the city and over Lake Michigan. I saw a foreign island and... another pillar."

The captain stroked his chin thoughtfully, breaking character for the first time. "Interesting," he murmured. "And you believe that touching this new pillar will give you more answers?"

Michael shook his head. "I don't know, but I know I have to find it. I have to find all of the pillars, if I want to get answers."

The captain regarded Michael for a few moments, before returning back to his interrogation. "What happened after?"

"I decided that I had to seek out the answers, no matter what," he said, his voice resolute. "I returned to the city, knowing I had to find a way to cross the lake and make it to that island."

The captain leaned back against the wall. "And you came upon the barricades?"

Michael nodded, "Yes. When I approached one, I was told only those on official police business can go through." He shrugged his shoulders and waved his hand, as if the rest of the story was known to both of them.

The captain raised an eyebrow. "Why did you lie about all this at first?"

Michael swallowed hard, his mind racing for a plausible answer. "I... I was afraid," he said finally. "I thought if I told the truth, you might think I was crazy and lock me up forever. I thought it would be safer to lie."

The captain's expression remained neutral, but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"And yet, here you are," he said. "In a cell."

Michael shifted uncomfortably, feeling the weight of guilt bearing down on him. "I didn't know who to trust. I thought it was safer to lie than to reveal everything," he admitted.

The captain regarded him for a few moments, before nodding his head. "I am glad we finally made some progress, we will talk more later."

With that the man turned and left, leaving a flabbergasted Michael behind.